Tafsir of An-Nisa' 4:131-134

Surah An-Nisa (4): Verses 131–134

Verse 131: Wa lillāhi mā fī as-samāwāti wa mā fī al-arḍ... (And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth...)

There are two ways this verse connects to what preceded it:

1. Explanation of Vastness: Since Allah mentioned that He enriches everyone from His bounty (referring to verse 130, “If they separate, Allah will enrich each from His abundance”), He then clarifies the basis for this abundance by stating: {And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth}. This implies that whoever possesses such dominion must necessarily possess vastness in power, knowledge, generosity, grace, and mercy.
2. Context of Command: After commanding justice and kindness toward orphans and the needy, Allah clarifies that He does not command these things out of need for human deeds. How can the Owner of the heavens and the earth possibly need the actions of humans, given His absolute perfection and transcendence? Rather, He commands them for what is best for them in this world and the Hereafter.

Verse 132: Wa laqad waṣṣaynā alladhīna ūtū al-kitāba min qablikum wa iyyākum an ittaqū Allāh... (And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you, and you as well, to fear Allah...)

First Issue: The verse establishes that the command to fear Allah (Taqwa) is a universal law for all nations, which has not been abrogated or altered. It is Allah’s instruction for the former generations and the latter ones.

Second Issue: Regarding the phrase {before you}:

1. It may relate to {We instructed} (waṣṣaynā), meaning: "We instructed those who were given the Scripture before you."
2. It may relate to {were given} (ūtū), meaning: "Those who were given the Scripture before you—We instructed them concerning this." The phrase {and you as well} is connected by conjunction to {those who were given the Scripture}. Al-Kitāb (The Scripture) here refers to the heavenly revelations in general, meaning the Jews and the Christians.

Third Issue: Regarding the phrase {to fear Allah} (an ittaqū Allāh): This is similar to saying, "I commanded you goodness." Al-Kisā’ī stated that one says, "I enjoined upon you to do such-and-such, and to do such-and-such." This is supported by verses like: “I have been commanded to be the first of those who submit” (Al-An'am: 14) and “I have only been commanded to worship the Lord of this city” (An-Naml: 91).

Verse 133: Wa in takfurū fa-inna lillāhi mā fī as-samāwāti wa mā fī al-arḍ... (And if you disbelieve, then to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth...)

This phrase {And if you disbelieve} is connected to the command {to fear Allah}. The meaning is: We commanded them and you to have Taqwa, and We said to them and to you: If you disbelieve, then to Allah belongs everything in the heavens and the earth.

There are two interpretations here:

1. Obligation based on Ownership: Allah is their Creator, Owner, and the Bestower of all blessings. Therefore, every rational person is obligated to submit to His commands and prohibitions, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment.
2. Self-Sufficiency: If you disbelieve, Allah still possesses all creatures in His heavens and on His earth who worship Him and fear Him. Moreover, Allah is self-sufficient (Ghaniyy) without their deeds or worship, and He is worthy of praise (Hamīd) due to the abundance of His favors, whether they praise Him or not.

Verse 134: Wa lillāhi mā fī as-samāwāti wa mā fī al-arḍ, wa kafā bi-Allāhi wakīlā. (And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth, and Allah is sufficient as a Trustee.)

Question: What is the benefit of repeating the phrase {And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth}?

Answer: Allah mentioned these words three times in this passage to establish three distinct meanings:

1. First Instance (Establishing Generosity): After stating, “If they separate, Allah will enrich each from His abundance” (v. 130), He immediately follows with this phrase. The purpose here is to establish His vastness of generosity and bounty.
2. Second Instance (Establishing Self-Sufficiency): After stating, “And if you disbelieve, then to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth,” the meaning is that Allah is transcendent above the obedience of the obedient and the sins of the sinners. His majesty is not increased by obedience, nor diminished by sins. The purpose of this repetition is to establish His self-sufficiency (Ghaniyy) in His essence, independent of all creation.
3. Third Instance (Establishing Power): In the final part of the passage (v. 134–135), He states: “And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth, and Allah is sufficient as a Trustee. If He wills, He can remove you, O people, and bring others [in your place]; and Allah is ever Able to do that.” The meaning here is that Allah is capable of annihilation and origination. If you disobey Him, He is capable of utterly eliminating you and bringing forth another people devoted to His worship and glorification. The purpose here is to establish His power over all things possible (Qadīr).

This repetition is excellent because if a single proof (the dominion over the heavens and earth) points to multiple conclusions, it is better to state that proof once to prove the first conclusion, then state it again to prove the second, and a third time for the third. This reiteration strengthens the resulting knowledge, making it clearer and more decisive than if the proof were stated only once.

Furthermore, repeating this phrase three times, deriving a different attribute of Allah’s majesty from it each time, alerts the mind to the profound secrets and noble objectives embedded in the creation of the heavens and the earth. This encourages the individual to reflect upon them and use them as proofs for the attributes of the Creator. Since the overall goal of the Qur'an is to divert minds from preoccupation with anything other than Allah toward complete immersion in knowing Allah, this repetition, which aids in achieving and confirming this goal, is supremely excellent.

Regarding the phrase {And Allah was ever, over that, Competent}: This means that Allah has always been and will always be described with the power to accomplish all possible things. If His power over things were contingent (created), that power itself would require another power, leading to an infinite regress (Tasalsul).

Verse 135: Yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū kūnū qawwāmīna bi-al-qisṭi shuhadā’a lillāhi walaw ‘alā anfusikum awi al-wālidayni wa al-aqrabīna... (O you who have believed, be persistently just, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives...)

This verse addresses those who seek only worldly spoils from Jihad, stating they are mistaken because {to Allah belongs the reward of this world and the Hereafter}. Why would one settle for the reward of this world—which is like non-existence compared to the reward of the Hereafter—if one were truly rational? A rational person would seek the reward of the Hereafter, thereby obtaining that, and receiving the reward of this world as a consequence.

Question: Why is the Fā’ (the particle indicating consequence) used in the condition, when Allah possesses the reward of this world and the Hereafter whether this intention occurs or not?

Answer: The intended structure of the statement is: "The reward of this world and the Hereafter belongs to him if Allah wills that he obtains it." Under this assumption, the consequence (the reward) is tied to the condition (the intention/action).

The concluding phrase {And Allah was ever, Hearing, Seeing} means that Allah hears their speech—that they seek nothing from Jihad except spoils—and He sees that they exert themselves in Jihad only when expecting to gain spoils. This serves as a reprimand from Allah against such actions.